Martina Navratilova
Czech-American tennis champion who won 18 Grand Slam singles titles and held the world No. 1 ranking for 332 weeks, making her one of the greatest players in tennis history.
Biography
Martina Navratilova was born Martina Šubertová on October 18, 1956, in Prague, Czechoslovakia. She became one of tennis history's most dominant players, winning 167 top-level singles titles and 177 doubles titles during her professional career. Her total of 49 major titles across all categories is still an Open Era record, with 18 singles titles, 31 women's doubles titles, and 10 mixed doubles titles. Navratilova was ranked world No. 1 in singles for 332 weeks and held the record for 237 weeks in doubles, showing her dominance in various formats of the game.
Navratilova's career was exceptional in the 1980s, where she dominated women's tennis alongside her biggest rival, Chris Evert. In 1983, she almost had a perfect season with a 98.9% winning rate, losing only one match while winning 86. This year also marked the start of her record six consecutive Grand Slam singles titles from 1983 to 1984. Her Wimbledon performance was outstanding, with nine singles titles and twelve final appearances, including nine consecutive finals from 1982 to 1990. She also had the longest all-surface winning streak in tennis history with 74 consecutive victories.
Outside of tennis, Navratilova showed great political and personal courage. At 18, in 1975, she left communist Czechoslovakia and sought political asylum in the United States, losing her original citizenship. She became a U.S. citizen in 1981 and then reacquired Czech citizenship in 2008, becoming a dual citizen. She was one of the first well-known athletes to openly live as a lesbian, breaking barriers in professional sports during less accepting times.
Navratilova's athletic career lasted multiple decades and spanned generations of competitors. She won her last major title at the 2006 US Open in mixed doubles, just before turning 50 and 32 years after her first major victory in 1974. This made her one of only three players in tennis history, along with Margaret Court and Doris Hart, to achieve the career 'Boxed Set' by winning Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Her marriage to Russian model Yulia Lemigova has kept her as a visible advocate for LGBTQ+ rights in sports and society.
Before Fame
Navratilova started playing tennis as a child in Czechoslovakia during the Cold War, a time when the communist government had a tight grip on people's movements and opportunities. Her amazing talent was clear early on, but the political situation in her country restricted her chances for international competition and personal freedom. The strict life under communist rule, along with her growing understanding of her sexuality, added to the pressures that eventually drove her to seek asylum.
In the 1970s, tennis, especially women's tennis, was rapidly growing and becoming more professional, attracting more attention and prize money than ever before. When Navratilova made the bold decision to defect during the 1975 U.S. Open, she joined a sport that was becoming more global and profitable, but also one that required personal expression and individual freedom for success.
Key Achievements
- Won 49 Grand Slam titles across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles
- Achieved record six consecutive Grand Slam singles titles in 1983-1984
- Held world No. 1 ranking for 332 weeks in singles and record 237 weeks in doubles
- Completed career 'Boxed Set' with Grand Slam titles in all three disciplines
- Recorded 98.9% winning percentage in 1983 with 86-1 match record
Did You Know?
- 01.She was originally named Martina Šubertová and later took her stepfather's surname, Navrátil, adding the feminine suffix -ová
- 02.Her defection from Czechoslovakia in 1975 happened during the U.S. Open when she was just 18 years old
- 03.She won her first and last Grand Slam titles 32 years apart, from 1974 to 2006
- 04.In 1984, she simultaneously held all four Grand Slam singles titles and completed the Grand Slam in doubles
- 05.She became the oldest Grand Slam champion in history when she won mixed doubles at the 2006 US Open at age 49
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Czech Medal of Merit | 1998 | — |
| Princess of Asturias Award for Sports | 1994 | — |
| International Tennis Hall of Fame | 2000 | — |
| Associated Press Athlete of the Year | 1983 | — |
| Associated Press Athlete of the Year | 1986 | — |
| BBC 100 Women | 2013 | — |
| Silver Medal of the President of the Senate | 2023 | — |
| Philippe Chatrier Award | 2009 | — |
| Great Immigrants Award | 2008 | — |
| GLAAD Stephen F. Kolzak Award | 2007 | — |
| Order of the White Lion 3rd Class | 2025 | — |